PBA: Alaska to ride on Baracael’s shoulder anew vs Shopinas.com

Alaska Milk may have found a new player that fits perfectly well to the power forward position —
Mac Baracael.

With Baracael playing the position to the hilt, the Aces totally outgunned the Powerade Tigers,
121-111, Friday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in one of the most high-scoring matches in the PBA
Philippine Cup.

The energetic Baracael, who also played the No. 4 post with former team Smart Gilas Pilipinas,
exploded with a career-best 22 points off the bench in an impressive six-of-10 shooting from the
field and nine-of-11 from the free throw line that went with six rebounds, two assists and some
solid defense.

Alaska hopes to use Baracael and the momentum it got from its recent triumph when it clashes with
Shopinas.com in their game set at 3:15 p.m. on Sunday also at the Big Dome.

“Mac Baracael played his best game in the PBA, he really plays well in the power forward position,
that’s his natural position actually,” said Alaska head coach Joel Banal minutes after posting their
second win in nine outings.

Baracael’s superb effort rubbed off to his teammates particularly the pair of LA Tenorio and Tony
dela Cruz.

Tenorio, playing with a plaster on his chin, went alive in the fourth quarter where he poured in 13
of his 23 points there while Dela Cruz had 23 points, his best performance in the last four seasons.

The victory kept the Aces’ hopes of clinching the eighth and final playoff spot alive as they
improved to 2-7 (win-loss), just half game behind the Tigers, who are precariously holding on to the
No. 8 position with a 3-7 record.

Alaska will be playing a Shopinas.com team though that is itching badly for a first victory after
dropping its first 10 games, the worst start in a season in the league in a long while.

And Banal knows they would need to sustain the same kind of form and approach for them to beat the
Franz Pumaren-mentored Clickers.

“If we could play the same way we did against Powerade, we’ll have a chance of beating Shopinas,”
said Banal, who steered Talk ‘N Text to the 2003 PBA All-Filipino Cup title (JV)